A variety of surgical instruments include a tissue cutting element and one or more elements that transmit radio frequency (RF) energy to tissue (e.g., to coagulate or seal the tissue). An example of such an electrosurgical instrument is the ENSEAL® Tissue Sealing Device by Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc., of Cincinnati, Ohio. Further examples of such devices and related concepts are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,500,176 entitled “Electrosurgical Systems and Techniques for Sealing Tissue,” issued Dec. 31, 2002, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein; U.S. Pat. No. 7,112,201 entitled “Electrosurgical Instrument and Method of Use,” issued Sep. 26, 2006, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein; U.S. Pat. No. 7,125,409, entitled “Electrosurgical Working End for Controlled Energy Delivery,” issued Oct. 24, 2006, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein; U.S. Pat. No. 7,169,146 entitled “Electrosurgical Probe and Method of Use,” issued Jan. 30, 2007, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein; U.S. Pat. No. 7,186,253, entitled “Electrosurgical Jaw Structure for Controlled Energy Delivery,” issued Mar. 6, 2007, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein; U.S. Pat. No. 7,189,233, entitled “Electrosurgical Instrument,” issued Mar. 13, 2007, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein; U.S. Pat. No. 7,220,951, entitled “Surgical Sealing Surfaces and Methods of Use,” issued May 22, 2007, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein; U.S. Pat. No. 7,309,849, entitled “Polymer Compositions Exhibiting a PTC Property and Methods of Fabrication,” issued Dec. 18, 2007, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein; U.S. Pat. No. 7,311,709, entitled “Electrosurgical Instrument and Method of Use,” issued Dec. 25, 2007, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein; U.S. Pat. No. 7,354,440, entitled “Electrosurgical Instrument and Method of Use,” issued Apr. 8, 2008, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein; U.S. Pat. No. 7,381,209, entitled “Electrosurgical Instrument,” issued Jun. 3, 2008, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.
Additional examples of electrosurgical cutting instruments and related concepts are disclosed in U.S. Pub. No. 2011/0087218, entitled “Surgical Instrument Comprising First and Second Drive Systems Actuatable by a Common Trigger Mechanism,” published Apr. 14, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,939,974, issued Jan. 27, 2015, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein; U.S. Pub. No. 2012/0083783, entitled “Surgical Instrument with Jaw Member,” published Apr. 5, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,888,809, issued Nov. 18, 2014, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein; U.S. Pub. No. 2012/0116379, entitled “Motor Driven Electrosurgical Device with Mechanical and Electrical Feedback,” published May 10, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,161,803, issued Oct. 20, 2015, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein; U.S. Pub. No. 2012/0078243, entitled “Control Features for Articulating Surgical Device,” published Mar. 29, 2012, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein; U.S. Pub. No. 2012/0078247, entitled “Articulation Joint Features for Articulating Surgical Device,” published Mar. 29, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,402,682, issued Aug. 2, 2016, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein; U.S. Pub. No. 2013/0030428, entitled “Surgical Instrument with Multi-Phase Trigger Bias,” published Jan. 31, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,089,327, issued Jul. 28, 2015, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein; and U.S. Pub. No. 2013/0023868, entitled “Surgical Instrument with Contained Dual Helix Actuator Assembly,” published Jan. 31, 2013, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.
While a variety of surgical instruments have been made and used, it is believed that no one prior to the inventors has made or used the invention described in the appended claims.